Progress bars are commonly displayed by graphical user interfaces for the purpose of indicating that some type of work is underway and is approaching completion. The type of work may vary greatly and may include: searching a database; opening a web page; downloading a file from a remote device; sending data to a printer; applying a transformation (such as color enhancement, resizing, or contrast adjustment) to a digital photograph; or sending/receiving email.
A progress bar may variously show how fast work is progressing, whether work is progressing, or the percentage of work that is complete or remaining.